1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to belt clips for hand-held power tools, and more particularly to belt clips for drill/drivers.
2. Description of Related Art
Belt clips mounted on the top surface of a drill/driver housing are known in the art and are substantially flat, elongated members that extend substantially parallel to the top surface of the tool housing, at a height just slightly elevated from the top surface of the housing. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,206, for example, a hand-held, motor-driven tightening tool is illustrated having a belt clip. The belt clip is integrally formed with the top surface of the tool housing. Belt clips on other hand-held power tools are also known.
A prior art hand-held drill/driver 100 having a belt clip 110 is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. The belt clip 110 is formed as an integral part of the housing 104 of the drill/driver 100. Like many belt clips known in the art, belt clip 110 has a substantially flat elongated portion 112 extending parallel to the top surface 106 of the tool housing 104. The flat, elongated portion 112 is slightly elevated from top surface 106 so as to form a receiving space 108 therebetween.
Belt clip 110 enables the user to secure the drill/driver 100 or other tool to a tool belt, pants pocket, or other suitable receiving means. As a result, a user can temporarily store the tool in a convenient location to allow the user to use both hands for a task, or to rapidly switch to another tool. A user on a ladder, for example, does not have to interrupt work in order to climb down the ladder to replace or retrieve a tool.
Despite providing a convenient means to carry hand-held power tools, conventional belt clips on the top surface of a tool housing do not enhance the performance of the tool while it is being operated by the user. Conventional belt clips do not do anything to facilitate wielding or holding the drill/driver. In fact, conventional belt clips are typically positioned on hand-held power tools so that the user does not contact or interact in any other way with the belt clip while the tool is in use.
Furthermore, when the belt clip is positioned on the top surface of the housing of a drill/driver, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,206, attaching the belt clip to a tool belt or receiving means causes the pistol grip portion of the drill/driver to extend substantially perpendicular with respect to the receiving surface. For example, if the power tool in U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,206 is attached to a tool belt at a position corresponding with the user""s hip, the profile of the tool extending from the tool belt is at a maximum. The user""s hand and forearm may inconveniently contact the pistol grip as the user searches for and retrieves other tools and implements from the tool belt.
Having the belt clip positioned on the top surface of a drill/driver causes the drill/driver to be holstered to the user""s tool belt or other receiving means in a configuration which is not ergonomically desirable. For example, in order for the user to holster the drill/driver to a tool belt or other receiving means on the front portion of a user""s pants, the user must rotate their arm and wrist into an uncomfortable and unconventional position.
These and other drawbacks of the prior art are overcome by the belt clip and drill/driver of the preferred embodiments of the invention.
According to one embodiment of the invention, a combination of a side-mounted belt clip and a drill/driver includes a housing with a barrel portion and a pistol grip portion. The barrel portion has a first side portion, a top side portion, a second side portion, a bottom side portion, and a back side portion. The pistol grip portion is attached to the bottom side portion. The belt clip is selectively detachably mountable to the first side portion.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a combination of a side-mounted belt clip and a power tool includes a housing with a barrel portion and a pistol grip portion. The barrel portion having a first side portion, a top side portion, a second side portion, a bottom side portion, and a back side portion. The pistol grip portion is attached to the bottom side portion. The belt clip is selectively detachably mountable to the first side portion.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a drill/driver includes a housing with a barrel portion and a pistol grip portion. The barrel portion has a first side portion, a top side portion, a second side portion, a bottom side portion, and a back side portion, the pistol grip portion being attached to the bottom side portion. A belt clip is mounted to the first side portion. The belt clip includes a first and a second projection. The first projection extends away from the first side portion at a first end and is attached to the second projection at a second end, the first projection spacing the second projection away from the first side portion. The second projection is spaced away from the first side portion and extends from the second end of the first projection in a direction generally adjacent to the first side portion. The second projection forms a receiving space between the belt clip and the first side portion.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a hand-held power tool includes a housing, at least two attaching means on the housing for selectively detachably mounting a belt clip, and a belt clip adapted to be detachably mounted to the housing at either of the attaching means. The at least two attaching means are on different portions of the housing.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a hand-held power tool includes a housing and at least one attaching means for mounting a belt clip on the housing. The at least one attaching means is associated with a raised pad which is elevated from at least part of the housing immediately surrounding the raised pad to create a lip extending at least part way around the intersection of the raised pad and the housing. A belt clip is mounted to the at least one attaching means.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a hand-held power tool includes a housing and a belt clip mounted to the housing. The belt clip includes a tool mating surface, a first projection extending outwardly from the tool mating surface at a first end, and a second projection extending from a second end of the first projection creating a receiving space between the second projection and the housing. The first projection has a curved surface which is curved to generally match the profile of a user""s thumb and finger and which cradles the thumb and finger between the belt clip and the housing.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a belt clip is mounted to a hand-held power tool and the belt clip has first and second intersecting surfaces. The intersection of the first and second intersecting surfaces is adapted to engage a first web of a user""s hand when the user""s hand is grasping the tool in a natural grasping position.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a belt clip is mounted to a hand-held power tool and the belt clip has first and second intersecting surfaces. The intersection of the first and second intersecting surfaces is adapted to engage a second web of a user""s hand when the user""s hand is grasping the tool in a natural grasping position.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a belt clip is mounted to a hand-held power tool. The belt clip is contacted by a user""s hand when the power tool is grasped in a natural grasping position for using the power tool, the contact between the user""s hand and the belt clip facilitating the wielding of the power tool.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the belt clip according to the preferred embodiments will be further apparent through the detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the drawing figures.